Work support



WORK SUPPORT 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 11, 1931 I/E/V TUAL MQMW Patented Apr. 3, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WORK SUPPORT Application February 11, 1931, Serial No. 515,047 I 23 Claims.

This invention relates to work-supports and to mechanism for controlling work-supports, and is illustrated herein as embodied in a fastening-inserting machine of a type used in the manufacture of boots and shoes.

Mechanisms of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,587,848, granted June 8, 1926 on application of Fred L. MacKenzie, are in successful use in the manufacture of shoes to support a work-piece, such as a shoe, in clamped position against the abutment or pressure plate of a fastening-inserting machine, holding the work-piece against pressure applied thereto by the fastening-inserting instrumentalities of the machine. In machines of the type disclosed in the abovementioned Letters Patent, theworksupport is held in clamping position by means of a spring which must be compressed manually by the operator when depressing the treadle to start the machine. The pressure applied to the wcrk-piece during the insertion of the fastenings varies, of course, with the size and character of the fastenings inserted. In some instances this pressure is so great as to require the use of a spring which is too stiff to be compressed without undue effort when the operator depresses the treadle of the machine; yet under such circumstances a lighter spring, such as could be compressed without undue difiiculty by the operator, would be inadequate to sustain the iasteninginserting pressure.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide work-support controlling mechanism applicable, but not necessarily limited to embodiment in machines of the character referred to in the preceding paragraph, which will support the work firmly against the greatest fastening-inserting pressure ever met with in such machines but which will permit the treadle, de-

pression of which raises the work support and starts the machine, to be depressed by the operator without difiiculty. In the illustrated machine, which constitutes a preferred embodiment of my invention, this is accomplished by latching the work-support positively against downward movement during those portions of the cycle of operation of the machine in which tendency to such downward movement exists, thereby relieving the spring referred to above from the pressure incident to the insertion of fastenings and permitting the use of a relatively light spring regardless of the size or character of the fastenings inserted.

To this end, and in accordance with a feature of the invention, the illustrated machine is provided with work-support controlling mechanism including toggle mechanism for moving the work-support into operative position and means actuated by the toggle mechanism for locking the support in operative position. In the illustrated machine, moreover, the mechanism for locking the support in operative position includes a pair of pawls mounted on a swinging arm for movement toward a ratchet bar carried by the support, said swinging arm being connected to the toggle mechanism and adapted to move the pawls into engagement with the teeth on the ratchet bar to lock the support against movement during a portion of the cycle of operation of the machine.

In order further to facilitate the starting of machines of those types in which the work-support is raised and the clutch tripped by the manual displacement of a treadle or other suitable controller, and in accordance with a further object of the invention, the major portion of the weight of the work-support of the illustrated machine is counterbalanced by means of a spring interposed between the work-support and the frame of the machine, thereby relieving the operator of the necessity of raising the greater portion of the weight of the work-support by the depression of the starting treadle.

These and other objects and features of the invention will appear more fully from the following detailed description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section of a machine embodying thepresent invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view similar to Fig. 1 of mechanism embodying the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the mechanism in work-feeding position; and

Fig. 4 is a detailed view in front elevation of horn-locking mechanism.

In the following description of a work-supporting mechanism it is to be understood that the mechanism is incorporated in a fastening-inserting machine such as that shown in the Letters Patent above referred to, the machine having a pressure plate or abutment 10 against which the bottom of the shoe is pressed to receive fastenings and having a cam shaft and means by which 10-5 appropriate movements are transmitted to the mechanism herein shown as well as a clutch operated by the final part of the depressing movement of a treadle 32 as is common in such machine is connected to the treadle 32.

The pressure plate or abutment 10 against which the shoe is clamped is shown in Fig. 1, where also is shown an edge gage 12 for locating the work with respect to the work-feeding and fastening-inserting instrumentalities. The work support comprises an upwardly extending arm or spindle 14 carrying a last pin atits upper end and pivoted at 16 on a member 18 for in-and-out movement with respect to the machine. The member 18 is arranged as usual for limited rocking movement transversely of the machine on the upper end of a slide 20 which, when released, can move freely up and down in a casing 22 carried by an upwardly extending support 24. The support 24 is connected to the upper end of a post 26 which can slide longitudinally in a bore in the machine frame 28. The slide 20, when released, is impelled upwardly by means of grasshopper springs 30, one at each side of the slide, one end of each being connected to the casing 22 and the other end of each to the slide 20.

The slide 20 has secured thereto a ratchet bar 21 (Fig. 3) having downwardly directed teeth on one side and upwardly directed teeth on the opposite side. ihe ratchets are engaged by pawls 23 which hold the slide from movement in either direction. The pawls 23 are released on initial movement of an operating treadle 32, to allow the springs 30 to act, by rotation of a cam disk 34 which simultaneously releases both pawls 23, the work being thus raised and pressed against the abutment 10 to measure the work. The disk 34 is rotated by means of a pawl 36 carried on the upper end of a rod 38, the lower end of which A projecting pin 40 on the pawl 36 engages teeth on the cam disk 34 and when the treadle has been depressed to a certain extent a projection on the pawl 36 engages a curved surface on the casing 22 which throws the pawl 36 out of engagement with the disk. The pawls 23 which have been thrown out of engagement with the ratchet bars 21 on the slide 20 by rotation of the disk 34 are now free to engage the teeth on the ratchet bars to hold the support in position with the work pressed against the abutment or pressure plate 10.

The machine thus far described is substantially the same as that disclosed in the above-mentioned United States Letters Patent No. 1,587,848 to which reference may be had for a more detailed description.

Toward the end of the downward movement of the treadle, the arm or spindle 14 is swung rearwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2 by mechanism which is substantially the same as that disclosed and claimed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,841,610, granted January 19, 1932, on my application. A collar 42 is secured to the spindle 14 and has two cars, one opening upwardly and the other downwardly to receive the upper ends of springs 44, the other ends of the springs being rigidly secured to a block 46 which is pivotally mounted on an arm 48 secured to the slide 22 by a stud 50. Fixed to the block 46 is an arm 52 which is connected at its free end to a rod 54. A collar 56 adjustably secured to the rod 54 is engaged, as the treadle 32 approaches the lower limit of its movement, by a projecting arm 58 secured to the treadle rod 38. As shown in Fig. 1, there is considerable lost motion between the collar 56 and the arm 58 so that the spindle 14 is not urged inwardly into the position shown in Fig. 2 until the treadle has nearly completed its downward movement. The pressure of the work against the gage 12 may be increased or decreased by changing the position of the collar 56 relatively to the arm 58. It will be readily seen that if the amount of lost motion between the arm 58 and the collar 56 is decreased the pressure of the work against the gage will be increased and if the amount of lost motion between the arm and the collar is increased the pressure of the work against the gage will be decreased. Since the spindle 14 is spring urged into position, it is apparent that it is free to move relatively to the gage 12 and does not interfere with the proper gaging of the shoe relatively to the fasteninginserting means.

The lower end of the slide 20 is recessed to pro" vide an opening into which a vertical sliding shaft 60 may be secured. The lower end of the shaft slides in a bracket 62 secured to the machine frame. A spring 64 having suflicient tension to overcome a substantial portion of the weight of the work-support encircles the shaft 60, the upper end of the spring bearing against a collar 66 on the shaft, and the lower end of the spring bearing against the bracket 62. This counterbalancing spring 64 serves to take up most of the weight at 78. The levers 72, 76, during operation of the machine, constitute a single lever of the first class as will be explained. The lever 76 is bifurcated for the greater portion of its length to receive the rear end of the lever 72 and the lever 72 is slotted at to receive the fulcrum shaft 78 of the lever 76. The slot 80 is shaped to permit the lever 72 to move a limited extent relatively to the shaft 78 about the center 74. The rear end of the lever 76 is connected by a toggle 82. 84 to a slide 86 guided in a bracket 88 fixed to the machine frame and forced downwardly by a spring 1 90, its movement being limited by engagement of a stop plate 92 on the slide with the top of the bracket 88. In each cycle of the machine, a rod 94 is pushed downwardly by a cam to operate a bell-crank lever 96 connected by a link 98 to the joint of the toggle 82, 84. When the toggle is broken rearwardly, an arm 100 connected to the link 98 releases the pawls 102 mounted on the bracket 88, the pawls engaging a ratchet plate 104 on the slide 86 to lock the slide 86 against downward movement.

In the bifurcated depending portions 106 of the lever 76 is a bearing pin 108 mounted in an eccentric bushing, on which pin is pivoted an arm ratchet mechanism of the horn release modified as shown in United States Letters Patent No. 1,686,808, granted Oct. 9, 1928 on application of George Goddu and Fred L. MacKenzie. These patents and the above-mentioned Letters Patent No. 1,587,848 may be referred to for a more detailed description of the mechanism for moving the work-support to clamping position.

When a shoe mounted on the spindle 14 is brought up against the abutment 10 as in Fig 3 and the awl 118 is to pierce the work for the reception of a fastening, it is important that the support be held against downward movement, particularly in machines of the type in which fastenings to be inserted are measured by the length of the stroke of the awl in piercing the work, for insuch machines the length of the awl stroke must be an accurate gage for the length of the fastening to be out from a roll of fastening material. Accordingly, the illustrated machine is provided with a mechanism which will insure that the work will not be depressed by the action of the awl 113. To the lower end of the block 68 is secured a ratchet plate 120 having downwardly directed teeth for engaging pawls 122. The paw1s122 are offset vertically to provide for engagement with a ratchet tooth by one or another of the pawls within very close limits. The pawls 122 are pivotally mounted on a pin 124 secured to the upper end of a swinging bar 126. The pin 124 projects beyond the pawls 122 and the projecting ends engage a cam track 128 in one end of a swinging arm 130. It is necessary that the support 14 be depressed at certain times during the cycle of operation of the machine to permit the work to be fed past the fasteninginserting instrumentalities of the machine and, accordingly, it is essential that the pawls 122 be swung out of engagement with the teeth on the ratchet bar 120. To this end, there are connections, which will now be described, between the swinging arm 130 and the toggle 82, 84, which will swing the pawls 122 out of engagement with the ratchet teeth. An arm 132 is rigidly secured at one end to the link 32 and is secured at its other end to a lever 134 fulcrumed at 74 to the lever 76, the central portion of the lever 134 being forked to straddle the end of the lever 72. The lower end of the lever 134 is pivotally connected at 136 to the lever or swinging arm 130. When the toggle 82, 84 is broken outwardly, the lever 134 is rotated clockwise which forces the lever 130 to the position shown in Fig. 3, thus throwing the pawls 122 out of engagement with the teeth on the ratchet bar 120. The support is then free to be depressed by the action of the toggle 82, 84 on the lever 72.

The link 130 is normally urged downwardly under the influence of a spring 138 which is secured at one end to the link 130 and at its other end to a collar 140 on the rod 112. When the treadle 32 is depressed to start the machine, projections 142 formed on each side of a collar 144 secured to the rod 112 are moved downwardly and permit the spring 133 to move the link 130 downwardly. The pawls 122 are thus moved from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2 by the action of the cam path 128 on the pin 124. When the toggle 82, 84 is straightened and the support is in clamping position, the pawls 122 engage the teeth on the ratchet bar 120 thus locking the support against downward movement. When the treadle 32 is released, the rod 112 is raised and the projections 142 engage the under side of the link 130 raising the link and causing the pawls 122 to be carried back to the position shown in Fig. 1.

In the operation of the machine, the operator places a last and shoe on the spindle 14. He depresses the treadle far enough to cause the pawls 23 engaging the teeth on the ratchet bars 21 on the slide 20 to be released and allow the springs 30 to raise the spindle and press the shoe with light pressure against the abutment. At this time the arm 58 on the treadle rod 38 has engaged the rod 54 on the treadle 32 and, through the connections between the rod 54 and the spindle 14, the spindle is swung beneath the abutment 10 just before the completion of the measuring movement of the spindle and support. The shoe may now be adjusted, if necessary, with respect to the fastening-inserting instrumentalities properly to receive the first fastening. Further movement of the treadle, if it has not already been moved far enough for that purpose, allows the pawls 23 to engage the ratchet bars 21 on the slide 20 and lock the spindle against movement in either direction. The pawl member 36 is moved away from the ratchet 34 by engagement of the projection 46 with the curved surface on the slide 22 thus disconnecting the treadle from the measuring mechanism. The spring 64 has sufficient tension to take up the major portion of the weight of the support thus relieving the operator of much of the weight of the support and making the machine easier to treadle. The preliminary movement of the treadle has, through the rod 112 and the arm 110, moved the cam 114 into engagement with the roll 116 so that when the movement of the treadle continues, the lever 72 will at first, by

' movement about its pivot 74, raise the post 26 and press the shoe against the abutment. However, since the last has already been measured and the shoe pressed against the abutment, the 1novement of the post 26 will be slight and the fulcrum of the lever 72 will soon shift from the pivot 74 to the pivot 70, further action of the cam 114 causing the lever 76 to move on its fulcrum 78 and through the straightened toggle 82, 84 to raise the slide 86 against the pressure of the spring 90. During the depression of the treadle 32 the arm or link 130 has been urged downwardly under the influence of the spring 138. The cam path 128 is so shaped that the pawls 122 on the arm 126 are moved into engagement with the teeth on the ratchet bar 120 as the link 136 moves downwardly, thus locking the support in clamping position and preventing downward movement of the support during the operation of the fastening-inserting instrumentalities. When the treadle has been depressed far enough to bring the highest part of the cam 114 beneath the roll 116 the lower end of the slot in the lever 72 will be pressed against the lower side of the shaft 78, the eccentric bearing 108 being properly adjusted for this purpose, and the two levers 72 and 76 will then constitute, in eifect, a single lever acting on the shaft 78 as a fulcrum. The final movement of the treadle acts through the rod 146 to start the machine. eration of the machine, when the work is to be fed, a cam acting through the rod 94, the bellcrank lever 96 and the link 98 breaks the toggle 82, 84 causing the arm 106 to release the pawls 102 which engage the ratchet bar 104 and main- During optain the slide as in the position to which it has M be lowered to release clamping pressure on the work. Further breaking of the toggle 82, 84 operates through the levers 72, 76 acting as a single lever to pull the post 26 and the work-support downwardly thereby relieving the pressure on the work during the feed or" the work. After the feed has been efiected the toggle 82, 84 is again straightened, the pawls 102 released and the pressure or" the spring applied to the work, the slide 85 and the work-support assuming a new position if the thickness of the work at the portion now clamped is different from the thickness of the portion previously clamped, and the pavrls 122 again engage the teeth on the ratchet bar 120 to lock the support against downward movement.

Having thus des'uibed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent oi the United States is:

1. In a fastening-inserting machine, a work support, a toggle, mechanism for straightening the toggle, means operated through the toggle for raising and lowering the work support, and means actuated by the toggle for looking the support in raised position.

2. In a fastening-inserting machine, a work abutment, a work support movable to clamp the work against the abutment, a toggle, mechanism connected to the toggie for straightening the toggle and for moving the support to clamping position after the toggle has been straightened, and means actuated by the toggle for locking the support in clamping position.

3. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes having, in combination, a work support, toggle mechanism connected to the work support and arranged when straightened to move the work support to clamping position, and means actuated by the toggle mechanism for locking the support in clamping position to prevent move ment of the support during a portion of the cycle of operation of the machine.

4. In a fastening-inserting machine, a work support, toggle mechanism connected to the work support and arranged when straightened to raise the work support, means for breaking the toggle, and means actuated by the toggle mechanism for locking the support when the toggle is straightened and for releasing the support when the toggle is broken.

5. In a fastening-inserting machine, a work support, a toggle, mechanism for straightening the toggle, means operating through the straightened toggle for moving the work support to work clamping position, and pawl-andratchet mechanism constructed and arranged to lock the support in clamping position.

6. In a machine for use in the manufacture of shoes, a work support, toggle mechanism for moving the work support to clamping position, and pawl-and-ratchet mechanism actuated by the toggle. after the toggle has moved the work support to clamping position for looking the support in clamping position.

'7. In a fastening-inserting machine, an abutment, a work support movable to clamp the work against the abutment, toggle mechanism for moving the support, a ratchet secured to the support, a pawl movable into engagement with the ratchet, and means actuated by the toggle mechanism for moving the pawl into engagement with the ratchet thereby locking the support in camping position.

8. In a fastening-inserting machine, a work support, means including a toggle for moving the work support to clamp the work, a ratchet secured to the work support, a pawl mounted for movement toward the ratchet, and means actuated by the clamping means for moving the pawl into engagement with the ratchet thereby locking the support in clamping position.

9. In a fastening-inserting machine, a work support, means for moving the support to apply clamping pressure to the work, and means for locking the support in clamping position, said means including a pawl movable into engagement with a ratchet on the support, the pawl being moved by the first-mentioned means into engagement with the ratchet.

10. In a fastening-inserting machine, an abutment against which the work may be clamped, a work support, means for relatively moving the support and the abutment to apply clamping pressure to a work piece on the work support, a pawl-and-ratchet mechanism for locking the support in clamping position, and means actuated by the clamping means for moving the pawl into engagement with the ratchet to lock the support against movement away from the abutment.

ii. A fastening-inserting machine having, in combination, an abutment, a work support, mechanism for moving the work support toward the abutment to clamp a work piece on the work support against the abutment in fastenlnginserting position and for moving the work support from the abutment to relieve the pressure on the work piece while the work piece is fed between the insertion of successive fastenings, mechanism for locking the work support in work clamping position including a pawl member and a ratchet member one of which members is carried by the work support, and means for operating pawl-and-ratchet mechanism to cause said mechanism to hold the work support in work clamping position during the insertion A of each fastening.

12. A rasteningdnserting machine having, in combination, an abutment, a work support, mechanism for moving the work support toward the abutment to clamp a work piece on the work L support against the abutment in fastening-inserting position and for moving the work support away from the abutment to relieve the pressure on the work piece while the work piece is fed between the insertion of successive fastenings, mechanism for locking the work support in clamping position, a pawl member and a ratchet member one of which members is carried by the work support and the other by a stationary part of the machine, and toggle mechanism for operating said pawl and ratchet mechanism to cause said mechanism to hold the work support in work clamping position during the insertion of each fastening and to release the Work sup port for the feeding of the work between the inserti'on of successive fastenings.

13. In a fastening-inserting machine, an abutment against which the work may be clamped, a work support, means for measuring the work, means for moving the work support into clamping position after the work has been measured, a ratchet secured to the support, a pawl mounted on the machine for movement toward the. ratchet, and connections between the pawl and the clamping means for moving the pawl into engagement with the ratchet to lock the support in clamping position.

14. In a fastening-inserting machine, a work support, means for moving the work support to apply clamping pressure to the work, a ratchet secured to the work support, a pawl movable into engagement with the ratchet, and means actuated by the first-mentioned means for moving the pawl into engagement with the ratchet to lock the support in clamping position.

15. In a fastening-inserting machine, a work support, means for moving the support to clamp the work, and means for locking the support in clamping position, said means including a ratchet secured to the support, a pawl mounted on the machine and adapted to engage the ratchet, a link connected to the pawl, and connections between the link and the clamping means constructed and arranged to move the pawl into engagement with the ratchet to lock the support in work-clamping position.

16. In a fastening-inserting machine, a work abutment, a work support movable to clamp the work against the abutment, toggle mechanism for moving the support, a ratchet secured to the support, a pawl movable into engagement with the ratchet, means actuated by the toggle mechanism for moving the pawl into engagement with the ratchet thereby locking the support in clamping position, and means for moving the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet to permit the clamping pressure to be released during the feeding movements of the work.

1'7. In a fastening-inserting machine, means for inserting fastenings, a work support, an abutment, means for moving the work support to clamp the work between the work support and the abutment, a ratchet secured to the work support, a pawl mounted for movement toward the ratchet, and means actuated by the clamping means for moving the pawl into engagement with the ratchet thereby locking the support in clamping position while the work is being operated upon to receive fastenings and for moving the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet to permit release of the clamping means while the work is being fed past the fastening-inserting means.

18. In a fastening-inserting machine, means for inserting fastenings, a work abutment against which the work may be clamped, a work support, means for moving the work support to apply clamping pressure to the work, a ratchet secured to the work support, a pawl movable into engagement with the ratchet, and means actuated by the clamping means for moving the pawl into engagement with the ratchet to lock the support in clamping position while the fastening-inserting means is operating on the work to insert a fastening.

19. In a fastening-inserting machine, a work abutment, a work support movable between work-receiving and clamping positions, a worksupporting spindle mounted on the support for movement from work-receiving position to a position below the abutment, means for moving the support toward the abutment to apply clamping pressure, means for moving the spindle to a position below the support prior to the application of clamping pressure, and means for looking the support in clamping position.

20. In a fastening-inserting machine, a work support, manually-operated means for raising the work support into operative position, and means connected to the work support for relieving the operator of a portion of the weight of the work support while it is being raised to operative position.

21.'In a fastening-inserting machine, a work support, treadle-operated means for raising the work support, and a spring interposed between the work support and the machine frame arranged to counterbalance the weight of the work support.

22. In a machine for use in the manufacture of shoes, the combination of a work support, means for manually raising the work support to operative position, and means for counterbalancing 110 the weight of the work support to relieve the operator of the weight of the support when the support is being raised to operative position.

23. In a machine for use in the manufacture of shoes, the combination of a work support, 115 means for manually raising the work support to operative position, a shaft secured to the support, a collar on the shaft, a brackeaand a spring interposed between the bracket and the collar to counterbalance the weight of the work 120 support while the machine is being treadled.

FRED N. LA CHAPELLE. 

